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iJacked: Apple Thefts Up 40 Percent In New York

People really want iPhones. So much so that they're increasingly willing to take them by force.

According to NYPD, theft of Apple products is up 40 percent this year, with 11,447 reported incidents between Jan 1 and Sept. 23.

Demand for Apple products has risen steadily in recent years, with typical sales explosions in the period immediately following a product launch. In many cases, including the recently released iPhone 5, Apple has been unable to keep up with the demand, leading to a scarcity in the marketplace and ratcheting up the perceived value of the products.

Long lines for the iPhone 5 were seen around the world last week, and Apple says it sold 5 million of the phones over the weekend.

New York isn't the only place where demand for the devices has inspire criminal activity. In Japan, $95,000 worth of iPhones were reported stolen the night before the launch.